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These pillowy-soft, slightly sweet dinner rolls stay fresh for days, thanks to the secret ingredient: mashed potatoes!

These potato dinner rolls will transform your bread basket from an afterthought to the star of your meal. The humble potato works magic in these rolls—creating an exceptionally tender texture while helping them stay fresh longer than traditional dinner rolls. Whether paired with a hearty soup, used for mini sandwiches, or simply enjoyed with a swipe of butter, these versatile rolls will become a family favorite.

Ingredient Notes

Mashed Potatoes: Use plain, unseasoned potatoes without milk, butter, or seasonings. Leftover mashed potatoes can work if they’re fairly plain, but freshly made is ideal. The starches in potatoes help maintain moisture, resulting in rolls that stay soft for days. Yeast: Either instant or active dry yeast works in this recipe. If using active dry, you may want to dissolve it in the warm water before adding to the other ingredients.
Warm Water: The temperature range (120-130°F) is slightly higher than typical yeast recipes because the potato mixture will cool it down. A digital thermometer ensures accuracy.
Flour: The recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but you can substitute up to half with bread flour for a slightly chewier texture.
Butter: Ensure it’s properly softened for easy incorporation. Cold butter won’t blend well into the dough.

Method Overview

Let me walk you through this super simple dinner roll recipe. You just mix everything together until you’ve got a nice soft dough, then let it do its thing and rise in a bowl.

After that, shape them into individual rolls, pop them in your baking pan, and give them another chance to puff up.

Once they’re looking good and puffy, bake until they’re golden brown and gorgeous. The whole process takes about 4 hours, but honestly, most of that is just waiting around while the dough rises.

Oh, and don’t forget my favorite part – brush some melted butter on top when they come out of the oven for that perfect glossy finish and extra buttery flavor!

Tips & Techniques

For the softest results, don’t add too much flour. The dough should feel tacky but manageable.
Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements, especially for the flour and potato.
Shape rolls by pinching the dough underneath to create tension on the top surface for a smooth, round appearance.
Place rolls close together in the pan; this makes them rise upward instead of outward for tall, fluffy results.
Test for doneness by taking the internal temperature—properly baked rolls should reach 190°F.
These rolls freeze beautifully: cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Revive day-old rolls by wrapping in foil and warming in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
For make-ahead convenience, refrigerate the shaped rolls overnight for their second rise, then bring them to room temperature before baking.

Source: King Arthur Baking

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Fluffy Amish Dinner Rolls

Ingredient Notes

Method Overview

Tips & Techniques

📖 Recipe